A Dangerous Game Part VI (Graded)
Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2019 8:38 pm
CREDIT
Her mind played over the events of the last cycle, wondering again how she had become so thoroughly entangled. Sintra and her group of operatives, known as Webspinners, was after Drivia and had already sent two assassins after her. She escaped from Etzos and tracked down the original Drivia, a Sintra operative undercover in the Military Intelligence office here in Bolstrum. The original now sat in a rented warehouse, restrained and interrogated, while Drivia had stolen her face and as much intelligence as she could gather. She had nearly enough information to prevent Sintra from becoming a patron Immortal of Etzos, but she needed to be sure. If she misjudged public opinion and the evidence wasn't enough to sway the terrified Etzori populace, Drivia was going to be on the run for the rest of her life.
She turned the last corner and knocked as she was supposed to. Two fast, a pause, then two more. It felt as if her hand had barely left the wood when a nearly invisible latch disengaged, and the door creaked open a hairsbreadth.
"What purpose do you serve?"
"To serve the Immortal in all her endeavors," Drivia said, her breath catching in her throat. This would be the test of the original Drivia's information. Had the cunning woman lied to Drivia?
The door opened fully, and Drivia stepped into the darkness with barely a trill's pause. Apparently Drivia had told the truth. The interior was bare, a plain stone building with no ornamentation. A short child stepped away from the door and bowed deeply to Drivia.
"Weaver."
Drivia nodded her head towards the child, trying to remember what Drivia had called their youngest members. "Tarantu- erhm, Hatchling," Drivia said, barely catching herself in time.
The child twitched in surprise and cast a suspicious glance up at Drivia, though her gaze fell at Drivia's impassive glare. Aelig's balls, I've gotta be more careful, she thought. She stepped down the hallway towards the meeting room that should be located at the end. The hatchling behind her cleared her throat and glanced up at Drivia.
"The meeting isn't scheduled for another two breaks, Weaver." The statement sounded like a question to Drivia, and she cursed inwardly. Had she gotten the time wrong?
"Circumstances demanded it. I have several letters to finish that I could not write elsewhere. I am in need of a desk."
The bluff was a believable one, but the child still looked suspicious. Drivia forced a frown onto her face and glared down at the young child. "Now."
The snap of her voice cracked across the child's resistance and shattered it, leaving the hatchling to meekly lead Drivia down several side halls, to a small room with a fireplace and a desk, several letters open on its surface. It was the first sign of any ornamentation that Drivia had seen. She dismissed the hatchling and strode over to the desk, rifling through the correspondence that lay on its surface and glancing nervously over her shoulder. As she'd hoped, there were several letters that bore the signature of a Black Widow, one of Sintra's top lieutenants. She scanned the contents, discarding most of the letters, but saving three. Two of them directed various Webspinners to delay Etzori supply wagons leaving Bolstrum, so as to slow the army's advance. Drivia tucked those away and reread the last missive.
It was everything Drivia had hoped for, and more. It discussed several Webspinners that had begun preparing Lisirra's advance well before the first Ether storm and subsequent loss of Etzori magi. It was dated a full fifteen trials before the first storm, and yet it discussed the impact it would have on the Etzori mages. It went on to command a local Recluse to slow down military commands, and thus make Etzo's reaction to the invasion delayed.
The door behind Drivia banged open and two forms entered the small room.
"What are you doing here, Weaver? You should not be-" the first voice broke off, staring in shock at the letter Drivia held. "What are you doing?" He hissed. "That is for Recluse Frida only!"
"I, uh," Drivia said, letting the letter fall to the table. "I needed to finish writing several letters before the meeting." Her voice gained confidence as she spoke, but she felt the left side of her face spasm. Dammit, not now!
Her illusion was shimmering, a term Drivia had coined to describe the occasional ripples a Yludih endured when attempting to hold a new form. Muscle spasms and twitching were common but would make it difficult to pass as if nothing were the matter. Sure enough, the taller figure strode forward. "What is the matter with you?"
Drivia turned towards the desk and pulled out a clean sheet of paper. Her eyes scanned the table and found the inkwell, dragging it over roughly. She dipped the quill and scratched a missive to the Black Widow, explaining an attempt on her life. She used real information from how Drivia herself had followed the original Drivia and captured her, finishing by explaining that she had broken herself free, and the attacker lay dead in the graveyards to the north of the city. She paused at the bottom of the page, realizing with a start that she didn't know how the original Drivia had signed her letters.
Leaving it blank for now, she blew gently on the paper and let the ink dry. She turned back to the two figures, who shifted impatiently and held out the letter for their inspection.
A low curse came from the shorter of the two, and the taller let out a low whistle. "You are lucky. We must inform Recluse Frida immediately. That anyone should know of our existance puts the entire operation at risk! How could you not think to report this immediately?"
The lie came to Drivia's lips easily. "The attacker poisoned me with some drug, I know not what. I dispatched her only a dozen breaks ago and attempted to track down any accomplices she might've had. I was not successful. My mind is, I must admit, somewhat blurred." The last sentence came out haltingly as if the confession of weakness needed to be dragged from her throat.
The shadows inside the taller man's hood twitched, and he nodded slowly. "Very well. Come with me, and we shall discuss the events of this with the Recluse. She was not supposed to be in attendance today, but this changes things. I will send for her at once."
"I should explain to everyone at the meeting, no? We can send for the Recluse andexplain there."
The shorter man grunted and nodded his head. "It is in ten bits, Severad. We must go now."
Severad, the taller man, nodded and gestured for Drivia to take the lead. "After you, Weaver."
Her back prickling, Drivia began to walk down the hall. Another spasm rippled across her leg and she stumbled, her body thumping against the wall and nearly sending her to the ground. Severad leapt into action and caught her before he fully tumbled, setting her upright and quickly removing his hands.
"Should we take you to Weaver Gina? She could likely discern the poison that still troubles you." His voice was flat, but she heard the barest hint of concern. Was that concern for her, or what it would mean for them if she died before giving her report? Either way, Drivia straightened and waved him back.
"No, no. I'm perfectly fine. The muscle spasms will pass." She kept her voice imperious and tried to remember the tilt original Drivia had held when she first saw the woman. Thankfully, the thick cloak and half-hood covered much of her face and prevented most of her shimmers from showing.
The hallway echoed with the sound of their clicking boots, and Drivia collapsed, both her legs giving out. She heard Severad curse and leap forward, but he was too slow this time. She hit the ground hard on all fours, and she heard Severad shout for Gorst, his companion, to fetch Gina. He bent down and pulled Drivia to her feet, turning her around. The shivers got worse, and she felt her lips curl up in a snarl as she tried to fight through the betrayal by her body. Time blurred, and it seemed like trills later that more footsteps sounded from ahead. She glanced upwards, catching sight of a short, black-haired woman rushing forward. An even greater shiver wracked her body, and Gina stopped a dozen paces away.
"That isn't Drivia."
The words seemed to freeze time. Drivia glanced from Gina to Severad to Gorst, all of them staring at her.
"What do you mean, I-" She began, another shiver wracked her body and broke her voice, making Val's voice come out of Drivia's form. She jerked herself free, preparing to run, when an explosion of pain came from her head and she collapsed, unconscious.
Date: Arc 719, 26 trial of Saun
Time: 20th Break
Location: Sintra Webspinner Safehouse, Bolstrum
Drivia sighed as she strode down the street, the heat from the sole remaining sun in the sky baking her from above, while the paving stones beneath her feet radiated even more heat upwards. She wore a set of long black robes, apparently what she would be required to wear to gain access to the meeting. Time: 20th Break
Location: Sintra Webspinner Safehouse, Bolstrum
Her mind played over the events of the last cycle, wondering again how she had become so thoroughly entangled. Sintra and her group of operatives, known as Webspinners, was after Drivia and had already sent two assassins after her. She escaped from Etzos and tracked down the original Drivia, a Sintra operative undercover in the Military Intelligence office here in Bolstrum. The original now sat in a rented warehouse, restrained and interrogated, while Drivia had stolen her face and as much intelligence as she could gather. She had nearly enough information to prevent Sintra from becoming a patron Immortal of Etzos, but she needed to be sure. If she misjudged public opinion and the evidence wasn't enough to sway the terrified Etzori populace, Drivia was going to be on the run for the rest of her life.
She turned the last corner and knocked as she was supposed to. Two fast, a pause, then two more. It felt as if her hand had barely left the wood when a nearly invisible latch disengaged, and the door creaked open a hairsbreadth.
"What purpose do you serve?"
"To serve the Immortal in all her endeavors," Drivia said, her breath catching in her throat. This would be the test of the original Drivia's information. Had the cunning woman lied to Drivia?
The door opened fully, and Drivia stepped into the darkness with barely a trill's pause. Apparently Drivia had told the truth. The interior was bare, a plain stone building with no ornamentation. A short child stepped away from the door and bowed deeply to Drivia.
"Weaver."
Drivia nodded her head towards the child, trying to remember what Drivia had called their youngest members. "Tarantu- erhm, Hatchling," Drivia said, barely catching herself in time.
The child twitched in surprise and cast a suspicious glance up at Drivia, though her gaze fell at Drivia's impassive glare. Aelig's balls, I've gotta be more careful, she thought. She stepped down the hallway towards the meeting room that should be located at the end. The hatchling behind her cleared her throat and glanced up at Drivia.
"The meeting isn't scheduled for another two breaks, Weaver." The statement sounded like a question to Drivia, and she cursed inwardly. Had she gotten the time wrong?
"Circumstances demanded it. I have several letters to finish that I could not write elsewhere. I am in need of a desk."
The bluff was a believable one, but the child still looked suspicious. Drivia forced a frown onto her face and glared down at the young child. "Now."
The snap of her voice cracked across the child's resistance and shattered it, leaving the hatchling to meekly lead Drivia down several side halls, to a small room with a fireplace and a desk, several letters open on its surface. It was the first sign of any ornamentation that Drivia had seen. She dismissed the hatchling and strode over to the desk, rifling through the correspondence that lay on its surface and glancing nervously over her shoulder. As she'd hoped, there were several letters that bore the signature of a Black Widow, one of Sintra's top lieutenants. She scanned the contents, discarding most of the letters, but saving three. Two of them directed various Webspinners to delay Etzori supply wagons leaving Bolstrum, so as to slow the army's advance. Drivia tucked those away and reread the last missive.
It was everything Drivia had hoped for, and more. It discussed several Webspinners that had begun preparing Lisirra's advance well before the first Ether storm and subsequent loss of Etzori magi. It was dated a full fifteen trials before the first storm, and yet it discussed the impact it would have on the Etzori mages. It went on to command a local Recluse to slow down military commands, and thus make Etzo's reaction to the invasion delayed.
The door behind Drivia banged open and two forms entered the small room.
"What are you doing here, Weaver? You should not be-" the first voice broke off, staring in shock at the letter Drivia held. "What are you doing?" He hissed. "That is for Recluse Frida only!"
"I, uh," Drivia said, letting the letter fall to the table. "I needed to finish writing several letters before the meeting." Her voice gained confidence as she spoke, but she felt the left side of her face spasm. Dammit, not now!
Her illusion was shimmering, a term Drivia had coined to describe the occasional ripples a Yludih endured when attempting to hold a new form. Muscle spasms and twitching were common but would make it difficult to pass as if nothing were the matter. Sure enough, the taller figure strode forward. "What is the matter with you?"
Drivia turned towards the desk and pulled out a clean sheet of paper. Her eyes scanned the table and found the inkwell, dragging it over roughly. She dipped the quill and scratched a missive to the Black Widow, explaining an attempt on her life. She used real information from how Drivia herself had followed the original Drivia and captured her, finishing by explaining that she had broken herself free, and the attacker lay dead in the graveyards to the north of the city. She paused at the bottom of the page, realizing with a start that she didn't know how the original Drivia had signed her letters.
Leaving it blank for now, she blew gently on the paper and let the ink dry. She turned back to the two figures, who shifted impatiently and held out the letter for their inspection.
A low curse came from the shorter of the two, and the taller let out a low whistle. "You are lucky. We must inform Recluse Frida immediately. That anyone should know of our existance puts the entire operation at risk! How could you not think to report this immediately?"
The lie came to Drivia's lips easily. "The attacker poisoned me with some drug, I know not what. I dispatched her only a dozen breaks ago and attempted to track down any accomplices she might've had. I was not successful. My mind is, I must admit, somewhat blurred." The last sentence came out haltingly as if the confession of weakness needed to be dragged from her throat.
The shadows inside the taller man's hood twitched, and he nodded slowly. "Very well. Come with me, and we shall discuss the events of this with the Recluse. She was not supposed to be in attendance today, but this changes things. I will send for her at once."
"I should explain to everyone at the meeting, no? We can send for the Recluse andexplain there."
The shorter man grunted and nodded his head. "It is in ten bits, Severad. We must go now."
Severad, the taller man, nodded and gestured for Drivia to take the lead. "After you, Weaver."
Her back prickling, Drivia began to walk down the hall. Another spasm rippled across her leg and she stumbled, her body thumping against the wall and nearly sending her to the ground. Severad leapt into action and caught her before he fully tumbled, setting her upright and quickly removing his hands.
"Should we take you to Weaver Gina? She could likely discern the poison that still troubles you." His voice was flat, but she heard the barest hint of concern. Was that concern for her, or what it would mean for them if she died before giving her report? Either way, Drivia straightened and waved him back.
"No, no. I'm perfectly fine. The muscle spasms will pass." She kept her voice imperious and tried to remember the tilt original Drivia had held when she first saw the woman. Thankfully, the thick cloak and half-hood covered much of her face and prevented most of her shimmers from showing.
The hallway echoed with the sound of their clicking boots, and Drivia collapsed, both her legs giving out. She heard Severad curse and leap forward, but he was too slow this time. She hit the ground hard on all fours, and she heard Severad shout for Gorst, his companion, to fetch Gina. He bent down and pulled Drivia to her feet, turning her around. The shivers got worse, and she felt her lips curl up in a snarl as she tried to fight through the betrayal by her body. Time blurred, and it seemed like trills later that more footsteps sounded from ahead. She glanced upwards, catching sight of a short, black-haired woman rushing forward. An even greater shiver wracked her body, and Gina stopped a dozen paces away.
"That isn't Drivia."
The words seemed to freeze time. Drivia glanced from Gina to Severad to Gorst, all of them staring at her.
"What do you mean, I-" She began, another shiver wracked her body and broke her voice, making Val's voice come out of Drivia's form. She jerked herself free, preparing to run, when an explosion of pain came from her head and she collapsed, unconscious.
